Cabinet to sterilize toilet seat

ABSTRACT

The cabinet is specially developed for avoiding contact between the toilet seat and urine and for using a germicidal disinfection U.V. lamp, mounted inside the cabinet, above the toilet seat to sterilize it. The mechanical device will automatically release, reposition and lift the seat and put it inside the cabinet after each use. The cabinet is mounted next to the toilet and recessed in the wall, and will be made of stainless steel like other accessories for washrooms.

CROSS-REFERENCE CITED U.S. Pat. No. Filing Date Inventor Name U.S. Class6,510,562 B1 Oct. 10, 2000 Kyong Sup Bae 4/246.1 6,289,526 B1 Sep. 18,2001 Chin-Chuan Chang 4/233 5,813,057 Sep. 17, 1997 Jacques Descent4/233 5,806,105 Sep. 12, 1997 Yi Chieh Yu 4/233 4,819,276 Mar. 26, 1987Robert Stevens 4/233 4,536,899 Mar. 05, 1984 Erika Schnyder 4/2333,599,246 Oct. 01, 1968 Angelo Bramati 4/233 2,458,019 Oct. 26, 1943Harold H. Niles 4/233 2,440,231 Oct. 05, 1944 Lloyd H. Davidson 4/2332,332,111 Jul. 18, 1942 Thomas Porter 4/233 2,273,449 Jun. 19, 1940Herbert Plishker 4/233 1,520,789 Jul. 12, 1924 Robert Weill 4/233

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to sterilization of a toilet seat and surroundingareas, by mean of a U.V. lamp with germicidal light, which irradiatesthe toilet seat, thereby killing germs and bacteria that cause diseases,which are generally on the surface of the seat.

This invention also consists of a means of isolating the toilet seatfrom the rest of the toilet when not in use as a toilet seat, placing tothe seat in a cabinet next to toilet.

This invention not only sterilizes the toilet seat to achieve a cleanand hygienic effect but places the seat in a new position that willavoid contact with urine.

This invention consists of a mechanical system that positions andrepositions the seat, placing it after each use within the cabinet,where it will be sterilized by a U.V. lamp. This system has a mechanicaltimer that raises the seat of toilet after its use, for example whilethe user is refastening clothing after use.

The requirements for keeping clean the surfaces associated with a toiletare demanding, and ultraviolet lamps prevent propagation of infectiondiseases. Studies show that the behavior of microorganisms are affectedby radiation lights, like ultraviolet type B (UV-B) germicidal lightthat is 253.7 nm wide. A short exposure time to the UV-B light candestroy major microorganism including virus and fungus.

2. The Prior Art

Several arts are involves in this new invention, automatic hinge areknow in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 6,510,562 to Kyong Sup Bae; ultravioletsterilizer are know in the art; U.S. Pat. No. 2,332,111 to Thomas R.Porter and Alfred Laidig, assigned to Westinghouse Electric andManufacturing Company, relate an apparatus for sterilizing andmaintaining sterile the seat and bowl; U.S. Pat. No. 2,273,449 toHerbert E. Plishker, assigned to Westinghouse Electric and ManufacturingCompany, relate a portable sterilizer with UV lamps; U.S. Pat. No.2,440,231 to Lloyd H. Davidson, assigned to Avco Manufacturing Corp.relate a mechanism for shifting the toilet between a position insterilizing cabinet and its usable position, working with an electricmotor for shifting the toilet seat and provide automatic return tosterilize position; U.S. Pat. No. 2,458,019 to H. H. Niles, relate asterilization method with ultraviolet lamps and their germicidal energy;U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,276 to Robert Stevens, relate to the disinfection orsterilization of the toilet seat by means of germicidal ultravioletradiation, produce by a tubular lamp mount in rear of the toilet, thisinvention show the effective use of ultraviolet lamps for killer a majordiseases transmitter germens; U.S. Pat. No. 6,289,256 B1 to Chin-ChuanChang, relate to automatic cleaner for a toilet seat, which include acleaner and toilet seat, wherein the seat turn around the device and iscleaned with some disinfectant liquid and dry with a blower.

Several inventions for sterilization have been developed before, butnone propose to change the seat position. A few inventions relate to useof germicidal lamps for sterilization and others to lifting the seatautomatically with some mechanism, but this invention combines thebenefits and provide an improved, new system for keep sterile a toiletseat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a device tokeep clean and sterile the toilet seat in public facilities. This deviceis composed of a cabinet to isolate the seat of the toilet, a UV lampfor sterilization of the seat, a mechanical lifting device which raisesup the seat after a previously defined time, a special hinge with atelescopic axle, a recovery system for pulling the seat into the cabinetand a handle for pull the seat out of the cabinet.

The system works in the following way: the user arrives at a publicrestroom and grab the handle of an attachment to the seat and pulls thehandle to remove the seat from the cabinet; the seat moves on a mobileset of slides on a rail until arriving at the top position, at whichtime the hinge of the seat slides a little more, because it has antelescopic axle. When fully extended the user must turn the seatcounter-clockwise, 90 degrees, so that the mobile mechanism will besecured by a lock in the solid part of the seat. The user is now readyto lower the seat. The user must lower the seat until reaches ahorizontal position on the toilet bowl. At this moment a system isactivated that has a gears that are jioined to the hinge of the seat andprepares it so that when the user rises, the system begins a count downof time and then raises the seat after the time has expired, while theuser, for example, is refastening his or her clothing. The system willraise the seat slowly to avoid injuring the user, and when it is in avertical position, the lock will be released and an internal releasesystem for the cabinet door will be activated, consisting of a wire thatis coiled in a small tube, pulling the seat inside the cabinet, where itwill be sterilized and prepared for the next user.

As a further object of the invention, the light of the U.V. lamp willionizes the atmosphere and radiate heat, thus warming the seat slightlyin the winter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accomplishment of this and other objects of the invention willbecome apparent from the following description and its accompanyingdrawing of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the location of the preferredembodiment and the whole toilet.

FIG. 2 is upper view (plans view) related with FIG. 1, show thesituation between the toilet and preferred embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the position two, when thepreferred embodiment is totally open out.

FIG. 4 is a upper view displaying the position three, when the seatrotate on mechanism and is ready to put over the toilet.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of recovery system located inside thecabinet

FIG. 6 is a perspective view explode of FIG. 5

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of hinge and telescopic axle.

FIG. 8 is an upper view of another preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective showing the whole mechanical mechanism of thepreferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The accomplishment of this and other objects of the invention willbecome apparent from the following description and its accompanyingdrawing of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective showing the location of the preferred embodimentand the whole toilet system, as similarly depicted in FIG. 2. this showthe components of the invention, including a cabinet 1, lamp holder 2,lamp 3, glass 4, handle 5, seat 6, hinge 7, recovery system 8, mobilesupport mechanism 9, mobile mechanism 10, toilet 11 and a rail 51 fordisplacement.

FIG. 3 is a perspective showing the second position, when the preferredembodiment is totally opened for use, this view show the seat 6,displaying the mobile support mechanism 9, the mobile mechanism 10, thehinge 7 and the telescopic axle 71 totally extended, the seat 6 whenpulled out with all its pieces running over the rail 51, and the wire 29extension for the recovery system 8.

FIG. 4 is a perspective showing the seat 6 turning counterclockwise witharrows to the mobile mechanism 10.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the mechanism to recover the seat6, and the hole 28 where the wire 29 comes from.

FIG. 6 this a specific view showing the recovery mechanism, includingthe inside of the recovery system 8 and a hole 28 from which the wire 29will extend, which wire 29 is connected to the mobile support mechanism9 and slide on a tube 31. Inside the tube 31 is a spring coil 30 thatforces the recovery and rolls up the wire 29 over the tube 31 and pullsthe system inside the cabinet 1.

FIG. 7 this is a perspective view of the hinge 7, with specific view ofthe mechanism inside the body of the hinge 7, showing the rotor part 72and the telescopic axle 71, that is necessary to extend the seat 6 tothe center of the toilet 11.

FIG. 8 is view showing the mobile support mechanism 9 and the mobilemechanism 10, the close up shows how the base of the mobile mechanism 10turns, showing the axle 104 of the mobile mechanism and showing thelocking system 101 whereby the mobile mechanism 10 is locked whenreaching the position.

FIG. 9 this view is a front view of the mobile support mechanism 9 andthe mobile mechanism 10, which show the main gear 13 and releasing gear14. It also shows the lock hole 114 for the lock system 101 and show themobile support mechanism hole 128 in which the cable 29 will be linkedto a piece of the recovery system 8.

Many changes and modifications in the above described embodiments of theinventions can, of course, be carried out without departing from thescope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and theuseful arts, the invention is disclosed an is intended to be limitedonly by the scope of the appended claims.

1. A cabinet recessed in the wall, which has a lamp of ultravioletlight, in order to sterilize surfaces, a toilet seat, a mechanicalsystem that allows the movement of the seat of toilet on a rail onslides.
 2. A cabinet to sterilize the toilet seat, as claimed in claim1, placed next to the toilet, wherein said cabinet will keep the seatfar away from the user, when the toilet is used as a urinal.
 3. Acabinet to sterilize the toilet seat, as claimed in claim 1, that has aU.V. lamp that serves to sterilize the seat. This lamp this placed inthe upper part of the cabinet, above the seat. Between the seat and thelamp is a quartz glass that allows for irradiation by germicidal light.4. A cabinet to sterilize the toilet seat, as claimed in claim 1, thathas a mechanical system that automatically recovers the seat of toiletafter its use, which together with the base of the cabinet, consists ofa box that has a small hole tube where a cable is coiled, as part of amechanical system.
 5. A cabinet to sterilize the toilet seat, as claimedin claim 4, in which said mechanical system is linked to the seat oftoilet and is divided in two parts, a fixed system and a mobile system.6. A cabinet to sterilize the toilet seat, as claimed in claim 5, thathas a system base that consists of a piece through which a cable passesthat is attached to the mechanical system. This also serves as base tosupport the mobile system that turns on an axle that this joined to thesolid system.
 7. A cabinet to sterilize the toilet seat, as claimed inclaim 1, that has a mobile system that contains a mechanical timer thatis activated when the seat is lowered to a horizontal position and whichafter a set time raises the seat to its vertical position, ready to beplaced back to the cabinet.
 8. A cabinet to sterilize the toilet seat,as claimed in claim 7, in which said mechanical timer acts together witha telescopic axle that is part of a hinge that holds the seat and workstogether with the mobile seat.
 9. A cabinet to sterilize the toiletseat, as claimed in claim 7, wherein said mechanical timer consist of agroup of gears, spirals and axes that work together and that whenarriving at certain position, stop and release a subgroup, such thatwhen turned, released and locked are maintained in a set position in themobile system to the fixed system.
 10. A cabinet to sterilize the toiletseat, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cabinet is made of steel to beused in public washroom, placing it next to toilet and next to the flowregulator.
 11. A cabinet to sterilize the toilet seat, as claimed inclaim 1, that can be automated totally to facilitate use with fewbuttons to activate the system or by infrared activation.